From celeb-loved boutique fitness classes to sustainable fitness equipment, Tracy Anderson does it all.
At the annual WWD x FN x Beauty Inc Women in Power event, honoree Tracy Anderson closed out the day of programming by joining Beauty Inc editor in chief Jenny B. Fine on stage for a conversation with Anderson’s Pomeranian June in tow.
To kickstart the conversation, Anderson discussed the wellness empire she has created, which all started with the Tracy Anderson Method, a choreographed workout that she created more than 35,000 different movement sequences for, which can be done at her many studios or on her digital platform.
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“[It’s] a movement language that is designed to bring us closer to our human nature,” she said.
Anderson, whose clientele includes stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez and Kate Hudson, created the custom method more than 25 years after testing how certain types of movement impacted women of different bodies. While the method remains at the core of Anderson’s ecosystem, she didn’t stop there. She has gone on to launch a magazine, activewear and sustainable equipment, all while maintaining the integrity of her original and cult-followed method.
“As women, we’re unique in that we can nurture a lot. We can nurture everything that we care about, so first and foremost, I’m a student, and my time alone to learn is the most important thing,” she said. “There’s never a world in which I’m going to create a clothing line and give time to create a clothing line or doing something that I consider to be fun, if I haven’t tended to my serious mission. The learning and the creation of movement practice is what is protected.”
While the world of fitness has been driven by trends from Pilates to hot girl walks, Anderson said her steadfast commitment to her method has driven its longevity.
“I attribute the longevity to the fact that what I do is very truthful, and when you experience the truth of yourself and what you’re capable of doing, and you feel what that feels like, it’s undeniable,” she said.
After discussing her career trajectory and breaking up with the concept of “celebrity trainer” in order to become a “female wellness pioneer,” Anderson went on to present one of her greatest passion projects — the Tracy Anderson HeartStone, $299, a set of 2.8 pound weights that feature a rose quartz stone. According to Anderson, the weights were developed to activate the insula, the part of the brain that “helps you be present in your body.”
“I wanted desperately for people today to be able to put their phones down. I needed to engineer something where…this doesn’t feel like picking up anything else,” Anderson said. “When you put it in your hands, immediately in your palms, you should feel a sense of groundedness.”
Anderson went on to lead attendees through a moment of movement featuring the HeartStones, which everyone had at their table, to a Bon Iver song — the goal: to truly be able to listen to the body.
After guiding the group, Anderson thanked everyone: “Thank you for helping me make weird seem normal.”
